The act of eating in France, the home of gastronomy, is not just a concept of a meal. It's one of the important tasks where many people sit around a table and have a conversation. After enjoying everything from aperitif, which is an appetizing drink, to entrée, main dishes such as pla, cheese, and dessert, they spend a long time enjoying each other's day over a long period of time while drinking coffee or tea. They also enjoy a glass of sweet and bitter wine together. Also, original dishes representing France were created based on rich fruits and meat, and such as coco bang, where meat is boiled in wine, escargot, which is a snail dish, and confit, where meat boiled at a low temperature is grilled again, will give you a new experience that you can try at least once. There are many French restaurants in Korea where you can properly experience this kind of French food culture, and emerging French restaurants that offer high quality food and service continue to appear due to improvements in dining culture.
Famous French restaurants in Seoul include Cheongdam Palais de Gaumont, Jamsil Signiel Seoul STAY, City Hall Sogong-dong Pierre Garnier Seoul, Seochon Moulang, Hoehyeon Station Zero Complex, Seorae Village Suwaniye, Apgujeong Tok Tok, Jangchung-dong Continental, Samcheong-dong Dining Inspace, Garosu-gil Lunique, Hannam-dong Grand Amour, City Hall Ninesgate Grill, Seorae Village La Sabue, Cheongdam Respe-duibu, Itaewon, Seoson, Seoson Tavern 38, Seorae Village July, Yangjae Cuisson82, Cheongdam Maison category, Dosan Park Ramitier, Dosan Park Boat Maison, Gyodae Arts Center Opre, Cheongdam Mipiace, Apgujeong The Green Table, Dosan Park Pasione, Cheongdam Willot, Seongsu Leung Pang, Samcheong-dong Atable, Hannam-dong Epicericolaju, Seorae Village Yoon, Itaewon Laplanque, Yeonnam-dong Langpas 81, Bukcheong-dong, Samcheong-dong Chon Cheshimon, Songpa Bangi Saint Clair, Cheongdam Beuljae, Namsan Namdaemun Bobber Lounge, Ikseon-dong Leblancer, Jamsil Chung Maison, Hongdae Lalun Violette, Itaewon Coutijardang, Samcheong-dong Le Cochon, Haebangchon Kommoa, Itaewon Oreno, Jongno Michael Baihaevich, Cheongdam 55 degrees, Yeoksam Ebbit, Jangchung-dong Seoul Dining, Seorae Village La Siette, Hannam-dong Mutang, Hannam-dong Meantang, Samcheong-dong, Samcheong-dong, Samcheong-dong, Samcheong-dong, Samcheong-dong, Samcheong-dong, Samcheong-dong, Samcheong-dong, Samcheong-dong, Samcheong-dong, Samcheong-dong, Samcheong-dong, Samcheong-dong, Samcheong-dong Dong Le Brie, Nonhyeon Bistro Laurent, Cheongdam Restaurant On, Hapjeong Pasaju, Cheongdam Solay, Seoul Station La Mansique, Cheongdam Restaurant Oh Sedeuk, Samseong-dong Table 34, Seodaemun Le Chef Blue, Haebangchon Soul Dining, Samcheong-dong The Restaurant, Dogok Basket 423, Yeonnam-dong Fairy. There are things like the Hongdae ruble.
Famous French restaurants around the country include Busan Haeundae Merciel, Jeju Haeundae Miliou, Daegu Atrium, Gwangju RONNIQUE, Bundang Pangyo CUISON, Busan Park Hyatt Living Room, and Busan Haeundae La Conti. Here are 5 of the best emerging French restaurants that are great for year-end gatherings.
1. 'Epanu' in Cheongdam showcased through many years of experience
Image source: epanoui_seoul's Instagram
Image source: epanoui_seoul's Instagram
âEpanuâ is run by owner chef Kwon Ji-hoon, who graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in France. We present high quality French cuisine based on his experience in various fields, such as the sous chef of the French restaurant âAlain Senderensâ to the head chef of the French fine dining âExquisâ in Sinsa-dong, and the executive chef of VIP Food and Drink at a large company. The signature menu âSignature Courseâ starts with 4 amuse-bouches, followed by caviar salad, foie gras, lobster with vanilla champagne sauce, meat with a crispy texture, Korean beef steak, and dessert. The âKorean beef scallop steakâ, which comes as the main course, has been cooked at a low temperature for 72 hours to enjoy rich juiciness and rich meat flavor, and is loved by many.
[Shikigami Tip]
â²Location: 33 Seolleung-ro 146-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
â²Business hours: Monday 18:00 â 22:00, Tuesday â Saturday 12:00 â 22:00, B/T 15:00 â 18:00, closed on Sunday
â²Price: Lunch course 65,000 won, signature course 150,000 won
â²Testimonial (Shikigin Kanyo Yokong): I visited with my parents and ordered a signature course, but the moment I ate Amuse-Busch, I chose this one! That's what I thought. Hehehe, the overall flavor of the course meal was really good, and it was nice to be able to eat a variety of dishes using caviar and foie gras.
2. The harmony of chewy octopus and chewy noodles, Seorae Village 'La Ciette'
Image source: Lassiette__restaurant's Instagram
Image source: Lassiette__restaurant's Instagram
âLa Cietteâ is a casual French restaurant opened by Chef Kim Sung-sung, who was the executive chef at âGourmetâ in Geumho-dong. If you order a meal, the gorgonzola cream sauce and black olive spread tapenade served with two types of pre-dinner bread, ciabatta and croissants, will please your taste buds to the fullest. The signature menu is âPulpo Oil Pasta,â where the whole octopus leg is placed on top of an oil pasta flavored with chorizo, which draws attention. The octopus has a soft yet chewy texture without feeling tough because the ingredients are mixed in oil and cooked in a double bath. The rich texture that comes from the combination of the chewy noodles and the chewy legs of the octopus is exquisite.
[Shikigami Tip]
â²Location: 2F, 6, Seorae-ro 6-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul
â²Opening hours: 11:00 â 22:00 every day, B/T 15:00 â 18:00, closed on Mondays
â²Price: Pulpo Oil Pasta 33,000 won, Confit of Duck 42,000 won
â²Testimonial (Meals, Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays): I ate octopus pasta, and the octopus had a really good texture. If you cook it wrong, it would be completely tough, but it went well with the pasta noodles without that feeling. The atmosphere is great, so I think it would be a great place for a date!
3. Songpa's âSaint Clair,â a seasonal flavor presented with seasonal ingredients
Image source: 3thrhee's Instagram
Image source: 3thrhee's Instagram
âSaint Clairâ is located in a quiet residential alley in Bangi-dong. It is a space where Chef Kwak Seong-gwang, who learned cooking in France and Japan, and Patissier Lee Young present food together. The menu is prepared only as a course without a single item, and seasonal ingredients are used to capture the flavors of the season. The signature menu is the âlunch menuâ which consists of appetizers, soup, fish dishes, mouthwatering dishes, Korean beef steak, and dessert, starting with amuse-bouche, which enhances the taste buds. âFish dishes,â which add umami flavor by adding sweetness made from seaweed to light fish meat, and âsteak,â which uses pufferfish sauce to bring out the flavor, are the most popular. Please note that meals are 100% reservation-only, and reservations can be made by phone up to 1 month in advance.
[Shikigami Tip]
â²Location: 27, Wiryeseong-daero 12-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul
â²Opening hours: 12:00 â 21:30 every day, B/T 14:30 â 18:30, closed on Mondays
â²Price: Lunch menu 68,000 won, dinner menu 88,000 won
â²Testimonial (I love eating Italian food): I only ate Italian food, but I tried French cuisine for the first time, and it had a strange charm. The chef was very kind, and the bread that came out in the middle was also very tasty. Other things are delicious, but after all, the steak, which is the main course meal, really had a beautiful plating and was very tasty.
4. 'Seoul Dining' in Jangchung-dong, a Seoul-style food based on French cuisine
Image source: berryawesome_ on Instagram
Image source: im.zerro's Instagram
'Seoul Dining' is a place where you can find food prepared by Chef Kim Jin-rae, the head chef of 'Kongdoo, ''Second Kitchen', and 'Maisondra Categories'. It is characterized by presenting Seoul-style food based on French recipes. The signature menu is the âdinner courseâ where you can enjoy 9 dishes at a reasonable price. Hot bread and savory flavors highlight the beginning of the course. Next, dishes such as hors d'oeuvres, main dishes, and desserts are served in sequence, and the chef himself tells you in detail everything from the cooking process to tips for a more delicious meal, adding to the pleasure of the meal. Please note that the dishes included in the course may vary slightly depending on the ingredients supplied on the day.
[Shikigami Tip]
â²Location: 272 Dongho-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul
â²Opening hours: 11:30 â 23:00 every day, B/T 16:00 â 18:00, closed on Sundays and Mondays
â²Price: 5-course lunch: 49,000 won; dinner course: 88,000 won
â²Testimonial (Flower Pattern Honey Jar): It was my friend's birthday, so I made a reservation in advance, but the atmosphere was really cool. I ate it as a dinner course, and even though I thought it would come out little by little, I was completely full after eating it all. The taste was delicious, but the food was so colorful that it was a pleasure for my eyes the whole time I ate it.
5. Yeoksam 'Aevit', a creative transformation of Korean-style ingredients
Image source: hane0419 on Instagram
Image source: hyang_eat's Instagram
âEvitâ was opened by Chef Joseph Ridgerwood from Australia who has worked in famous restaurants around the world, such as âFrench Laundryâ in the US and âRedburyâ in the UK. It presents original dishes that are sensually reinterpreted using Korean-style ingredients such as green onions, mussels, and kohlrabi. It consists of 5 courses for lunch and 10 COEURSE for dinner, and the composition changes slightly from week to week using seasonal ingredients. The popular course menu is the âWoolong Sesame Leaf Plate,â where finely ground oolong is wrapped in sesame leaves and topped with black sesame sauce and sesame leaf sauce. The sauce, which boasts a fresh green color and a pleasant flavor, satisfies both eyes and mouth. A traditional sake pairing service is also available to enhance the flavor of the food.
[Shikigami Tip]
â²Location: 33, Dogok-ro 23-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
â²Business hours: Weekdays 18:00 â 23:00; Saturday 12:00 â 23:00; B/T 15:00 â 18:00; Closed on Sundays and Mondays
â²Price: Dinner tasting course 130,000 won, lunch tasting course 65,000 won
â²Testimonial (Shikigami Mani): I was so surprised that this kind of flavor and food could come from ingredients I've seen so many times. Originally, I liked going to various places, but I liked this place so much that I stopped by regularly. Perfect for going with parents too!